Optalert unveils test for sleep apnoea as Philips expands partnership in pharmacy program

An Australian medical technology company has introduced a test designed to identify obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), broadening access to sleep health technologies across the nation. This innovative test, completed within just 10 minutes via smartphone, marks an advancement in accessibility.

Optalert’s technology relies on a unique biomarker where individuals with sleep issues experience reduced oxygen levels during sleep, leading to impaired eyelid coordination while awake. The test utilises the forward-facing camera of an Apple iPhone to capture these subtle eyelid movements, employing a proprietary algorithm to detect signs of sleep disorders.

“Optalert’s new test [Owl Eye] represents a step change in expanding access to sleep health technologies,” said Optalert Chief Marketing Officer Paul Zubrinich.

“Our hope is that by putting accurate, accessible tools in the hands of Australians, we can make people far more aware of their sleep health, so they can enjoy a better night’s rest and, in turn, a better quality of life.”

Professor Matthew Kiernan AM, CEO of Neuroscience Research Australia, stated “Wearable and app-based technologies are transforming how we approach sleep, and brain health more generally. These technologies provide continuous, personalised data that helps in identifying sleep issues, and thereby promote treatments of underlying conditions that affect the brain.”

Optalert’s test boasts 84.0% sensitivity and 98.5% specificity in clinical evaluations. The development of its algorithm drew on data from sleep laboratories, including Monash Medical Centre, the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, and the Institute for Breathing and Sleep (IBAS). The algorithm underwent rigorous testing on individuals with confirmed OSA and a control group without sleep conditions, validated against polysomnography, the gold standard in OSA diagnosis.

In related sleep technology news, Australian medtech company Compumedics has secured a new 5-year contract with Philips to supply its Somfit device to Philips’ pharmacy-based sleep program. This partnership reinforces Somfit’s position as the leading choice for pharmacy-based sleep testing in Australia through 2028.

Compumedics supplies the device and electrodes to pharmacies, with Philips acting as the distributor. The pharmacy-based sleep testing sector is experiencing rapid growth in Australia, operating under a patient-pays model, although Medicare is investigating whether Level 3 and Level 4 studies should be reimbursed. Pharmacy staff identify potential OSA patients, promoting sleep tests that are subsequently reviewed by Australian sleep physicians.

With approximately one in five Australians affected by sleep disorders, estimated to cost the economy $56.5 billion annually, raising awareness of sleep health remains crucial.

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